Photinia plant named ‘Cassini’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct highly ornamental variety of  Photinia×fraseri  plant is provided. An upright outwardly-spreading shrub is described that has a more compact growth habit as the plant ages than commonly is displayed by  Photinia×fraseri.  Attractive variegated foliage is displayed. Initially the foliage is reddish with pink margins that changes to green with pink margins. Finally the leaf margins mature to near white with near white and silver splashes over the green medial upper surfaces of the leaves. The new variety propagates well by the use of stem cuttings and grows well in U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone Nos. 6(b) to 10. The plant is well suited for growing as an ornamental specimen or in the form of a distinctive hedge. Also, the unusual color foliage can be used to advantage as a part of flower arrangements.

Botanical/commercial classification: Photinia×fraseri/Photinia Plant.

Varietal denomination: cv. ‘Cassini’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a new and distinct selection ofPhotinia×fraseri, a member of the rose family, Rosaceae.

The new variety of the present invention was discovered during 1991while present in a block of container-grown Photinia×fraseri plants(non-patented in the United States) that had been reproduced through theuser of cuttings at Salem, Oreg. and at West Grove, Pa. A single plantof the new variety was discovered and was carefully preserved andstudied in view of its distinctive combination of characteristics. Thenew variety of the present invention is believed to be a spontaneous budsport mutation of unknown causation. Had the new variety not beendiscovered and preserved it would have been lost to mankind.

It was found the new Photinia×fraseri variety exhibits the followingcombination of characteristics:

(a) an upright outwardly-spreading broad-leaved evergreen shrub that hasa more compact growth habit as the plant ages than commonly is displayedby Photinia×fraseri,

(b) forms distinctive variegated foliage that is initially reddish withpink margins, changing to green with pink margins, and with the marginsfinally maturing to near white with near white and silver splashes overthe green medial upper surfaces of the leaves,

(c) propagates well by the use of stem cuttings, and

(d) is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation in thelandscape.

The new variety can be readily distinguished from its Photinia×fraseriparent which lacks the distinctive variegated foliage and the morecompact growth habit.

When grown as a two year-old juvenile plant in containers, the newvariety appears to display substantially the same growth rate as theparental Photinia×fraseri. However, as the new plant further ages a morecompact growth habit commonly is observed than the parent. Young plantsof the new variety have been observed to grow more vigorously incontainers under nursery growing conditions with ample fertilization andwater than when growing outdoors in the ground. For instance, a fiveyear-old plant of the new variety growing in a five or ten galloncontainer may produce in a given season up to approximately 36 inches ofterminal growth and up to approximately 18 to 24 inches of lateralbranches. Alternatively, when grown in the ground, a plant of the sameage may produce approximately 12 to 18 inches of terminal growth andapproximately 3 to 6 inches of lateral growth.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry andcan be grown in the landscape as a colorful specimen plant or to form ahedge. The new variety also can serve as a source of unusual colorfulcut foliage for use in flower arrangements.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety by the use of stem cuttings atSalem, Oreg. and at West Grove, Pa. has demonstrated that the uniquecombination of characteristics of the new variety is firmly fixed and isretained through successive generations of asexual propagation.

The new variety of the present invention has been named ‘Cassini’, andis being marketed under the PINK MARBLE trademark. ‘Cassini’ has notbeen observed under all possible environmental conditions to date.Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in the environment, such as temperature, light, day length,cultural conditions, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as true as is reasonably possible tomake the same in color illustrations of this character, typical plantsof the new variety. The plants were approximately five years of age andwere being grown in containers.

FIG. 1 shows primarily the typical distinctive mature foliage of the newvariety. Such leaves are shown to display variegated upper leaf surfacesthat are green with irregular near white margins and splashes of whiteand silver. Some immature reddish foliage also is present primarily atthe upper left portion of the photograph. The plant was grown at Salem,Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows at the forefront the typical colorful immature reddishfoliage, as well as the variegated leaves of advancing maturity withpink margins and some overlay white and silver splashes. The plant wasgrown at West Grove, Pa.

FIG. 3 shows a typical terminal inflorescence with one leaf having beenremoved for clarity. The photograph was taken on May 2, 2003 at WestGrove, Pa. Dimensions in centimeters are included at the bottom.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The description is based upon the observation of five year-old plantspropagated by the use of stem cuttings that were growing in unheatedplastic-covered greenhouses in containers at West Grove, Pa. The chartused in the identification of the colors in The R.H.S. Colour Chart ofthe Royal Horticultural Society, London. Other color terminology used inthe description is to be accorded its ordinary dictionary significance.

Plant:

Type.—Perennial, broad-leaved evergreen shrub.

Growth habit.—Multistemed, upright and outwardly-spreading and morecompact than its Photinia×fraseri parent.

Branching habit.—Freely-branching, and responds well to pruning.

Height.—Approximately 6 feet and approximates that of Photinia glabra.This compares to approximately 7 to 10 feet for the parent.

Width.—Approximately 4 to 5 feet and approximates that of Photiniaglabra. This compares to approximately 6 to 8 feet for the parent.

Foliage:

Bearing.—Simple and alternate.

Configuration.—Typically oblanceolate to narrowly obovate to obovate torarely elliptical to narrowly elliptical and occasionally falcate.

Apex.—Typically abruptly acuminate to occasionally acute.

Base.—Narrowly cuneate.

Margins.—Occasionally undulate, serrulate and at times irregularly sowith the serrations tending to be closer together nearing the tip (asillustrated in FIG. 2).

Texture.—Glabrous and coriaceous.

Length.—Commonly approximately 5 to 14 cm, with mature leaves frequentlymeasuring approximately 10 to 12 cm in length.

Width.—Commonly 2.5 to 5.5 cm, with mature leaves frequently measuringapproximately 3.5 to 5.0 cm in width.

Immature foliage upper surface.—Margins: mixture of Red-Purple Group58D, Red-Purple Group 63C, and Red-Purple Group 65A. Medial areas:primarily Green Group 139A with small scattered areas of various shadesnear Greyed-Green Group 189B with some of the same margin colorationbeing scattered throughout and overlaying in a random array of shapesand sizes.

Immature foliage lower surface.—The base coloration is near Greyed-GreenGroup 194B and is overlaid with Greyed-Purple Group 186B.

Mature foliage upper surface.—Margins: well-defined and mostly nearYellow-White Group 158B. Medial areas: near Green Group 139A withrandomly scattered areas of various shapes near Greyed-Green Group 189Aand 189B.

Mature foliage lower surface.—Mostly near Greyed-Green Group 191B withnear white margins near Yellow-White Group 158B.

Petiole.—Configuration: commonly grooved on the ventral surface. Length:commonly ranges from approximately 0.5 to 2.5 cm in length. Diameter:commonly ranges from approximately 1.6 to 2.5 mm. Color of uppersurface: mostly Green Group 139A in the groove, and shading into andnear Greyed-Purple Group 184A. Color of lower surface: mostly nearYellow-Green Group 147D, and shading into and near Greyed-Purple Group184A.

Stems.—Young stems on current season's growth are near Red Group 46A incoloration.

Flowers:

Form.—Perfect, polypetalous, actinomorphic, and five-petaled.

Bearing.—Commonly in a loose corymbose panicle, typically flattened toslightly mounded. Flowers have been observed on plants as young as threeyears.

Size.—Small, and commonly approximately 8 to 10 mm in diameter andapproximately 4 to 8 mm in height.

Color.—White, near White Group 155D.

Fragrance.—Slight and reminiscent of light musty dandelion fragrance.

Duration.—Flowering commonly lasts approximately two weeks and theduration is influenced by temperature.

Fruit.—None observed to date; however, no deliberate crossings have beenattempted.

Hardiness: Performs well in U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone Nos. 6(b) to 10.

Disease/pest resistance: Generally comparable to the Photinia×fraseriparent during observations to date. The variety during observations todate appears to be susceptible to the same diseases that afflictPhotinia, such as Entomosporium maculatum.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Photinia×fraseri plant having thefollowing combination of characteristics: (a) an uprightoutwardly-spreading broad-leaved evergreen shrub that has a more compactgrowth habit as the plant ages than commonly is displayed byPhotinia×fraseri, (b) forms distinctive variegated foliage that isinitially reddish with pink margins, and with the margins finallymaturing to near white with near white and silver splashes over thegreen median upper surfaces of the leaves, (c) propagates well by theuse of stem cuttings, and (d) is well suited for providing attractiveornamentation in the landscape; substantially as herein shown anddescribed.